American Travel Tribute: Top 5 US Dream Travel Routes

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All too often do we take the freedoms of our great country for granted–and it’s amazing domestic travel adventures. But thankfully we have this nationally holiday to reflect on and celebrate those two things.

For today’s post, I dedicated it to the top US Travel routes.

Sedona, Arizona–my quick weekend escape.

When most of us dream of traveling, we take mental vacations to far off, exotic lands. I am all for that, and guilty of it myself, but the great thing is that we don’t have to shell out loads of money or fly halfway around the world for a memorable adventure.

With plane travel continuing to rise in cost (and frustration), you don’t even have to jet to experience the country.

Here is my unofficial list of top 5 U.S. train and car travel routes complied from National Geographic, my own experience and autoweek.

This 2,256-mile trip starts in congested Southern California but within hours climbs through Cajon Pass into the lonely beauty of the Mojave Desert en route to Arizona.Then come Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois as the train passes through the backyards of small towns–peer guiltily into windows of countless homes at night–and the downtowns of big cities.

The Alaska Railroad system covers 500 miles of some of the world’s wildest landscapes–with this 114-mile stretch through the Kenai Mountains by far the most impressive section, says Susie Kiger of the Alaska Railroad. Leaving Anchorage, the route hugs the coast of the Turnagain Arm to a stop at Girdwood; overnight if you wish at the Alyeska Resort.

From there the train veers away from the scenic Seward Highway to areas inaccessible by car, traveling through five tunnels, past cool blue glaciers, and over a river gorge. Watch for moose and bears. Overnight in Seward or simply explore the village and return to Anchorage for a perfect day trip.

Noteworthy: Beluga whales, bald eagles, moose, and Dall sheep along Turnagain Arm; the Alaska Sealife Center in Seward; passing within 800 feet of Bartlett Glacier; sunsets over Cook Inlet on the return trip; the Glacier and Wildlife Cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park.

This rail trek has been offered, on and off, since 1901, taking passengers to the South Rim of the world’s most famous canyon. Today you have your pick of coach, first-class, observation dome, or luxury parlor service, with each offering progressively better views and comforts.

All options deliver you to the canyon for a just-under-four-hour stopover to take in the sights. Or overnight in a lodge on the rim. Noteworthy: Views en route of the 12,000-foot-plus San Francisco Peaks; the twisting switchbacks of Coconino Canyon, where passengers can see the curving train out the window; an Old West theme with cowboy musicians and mock train robberies by the Cataract Creek Gang.

4. Highway 1–California Coast
I have driven this route many times, but my one of my favorite stretches is spending the whole day wine tasting in the Russian River Valley and then heading towards the coast and taking it all the way back to San Francisco.

5. Michigan’sUpper Peninsula
This offers some great driving and spectacular views, and it hosted the Press-On-Regardless Rally for many years.

Lu, Thanks for adding some GREAT routes to the list! The Durango to Silverton route is one my fellow Arizonan friends speak very highly of. I have yet to go to the Smoky Mountains, but that route sounds like a good one to try.

I would LOVE a good Road Trip. I have made it a bucket list item to travel the length of California via Hwy 1 – top to bottom. For now, I can only really speak to the ‘treks’ ive taken within CA – Hwy 12 thru the napa/sonoma valley is one of the most incredible drives, at any time of the year, especially between Sept-October. AND of course, the HWY 5 from Sac to downtown LA – with the gas stop in Buttonwillow – that ROCKS! lol Great list. I wanna GOOOOO! xox Rem

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